Employment

New Law Enforcement Officer

• Must be at least twenty-one years of age at the beginning of the academy.
• Must have a valid driver's license with a clean driving record.
• Must have a full and complete background check.
• Must have an associates degree in any field or at least four years active duty in any branch of the United States Military.

Lateral Transfer

• Must be at least twenty-one years of age at the beginning of the academy.
• Must have a valid driver’s license with a clean driving record.
• Must have a full and complete background check.
• Must have at least three years active service with a reputable Law Enforcement Agency with similar training and education requirements.
  • Agencies automatically accepted:  Large local, county, or state law enforcement agency from North Carolina with post certification. Los Angeles Police Department, Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department, New York State Police, Connecticut State Police, Virginia State Police, Virginia Beach Police Department, Norfolk Police Department, Texas Department of Public Safety, Alaska State Troopers.
  • All other agencies will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis for advanced standings.
• Must have an associate’s degree in any field or at least four years of active duty in any branch of the United States Military.
  • In lieu of education or military service, applicants may substitute with five years of active service from an acceptable law enforcement agency as described above.

Williams County Uniformed Employee

• A uniformed employee of WCSO may take the WCSO Deputy Sheriff exam replacing the educational or military service requirements with three years of service to the WCSO in Corrections or Emergency Communications. This is also extended to any member of the Williams County Emergency Medical Services (WCEMS). Clerical and fleet maintenance division employees are not eligible for these advanced standings. Fire-Rescue personnel or lifeguards who are employed by the county for those services are met with a case-by-case basis.

Training

All new law enforcement members must attend the entire training for the department. All Williams County Sheriff’s Office deputies must attend a twenty-six-week academy. The first eight weeks of the academy is a boot camp like setting that is live-in. After the first eight weeks of training recruits will report at 20:00 on Sunday and will be released to home between 15:00 and 17:00 on Friday at the discretion of the academy cadre.

Members who have advanced standing from extended military service or lateral transfer will have the initial eight weeks of training removed and additional areas of training altered based on their previous training and service before coming to the department. Departments on the acceptable training list will have specific academy training designed to train them in the department policy and procedures versus becoming POST-certified peace officers.